Obituary of Geraldine Dunn Leinenweber
Geraldine Dunn Leinenweber passed away peacefully on August 11, 2021, at Norwood Crossing in Chicago. She was born on May 24, 1937, in South Bend, Indiana, and is preceded in death by her parents, Francis Anthony Dunn and Helen Marie Dunn (nee Lemke).
She is survived by her former husband, the Hon. Harry Daniel Leinenweber of Chicago; her five children, Jane Dunn Campeau of Grand Rapids, John Dunn Leinenweber of Chicago, Thomas More (Martha) Leinenweber of Evanston, Stephen Becket (Sonia Guarda) Leinenweber of Chapel Hill, and Justin Lennon (Jennifer Schultz) Leinenweber of Chicago; brother, Thomas (Bonnie) Dunn of Long Beach, Indiana; nieces, Meagan Dunn, Moira Dunn and Kiely Dolce (nee Dunn); and seventeen grandchildren, Robert, Sarah, Andrew and Shannon Campeau, Jack, Simone, and Cora Leinenweber, Katie Ahlstrom (nee Leinenweber), Tommy, Peter, Mary, Betsy, and Annie Leinenweber, Becket and Isabel Leinenweber, and Harry and Ralph Leinenweber.
Gerry graduated from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and later received a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Benedictine University. She worked for many years as a child advocate with CASA, and in 1966, together with several other Joliet families, she helped establish the Joliet Montessori School. Her favorite hobbies included collecting antiques, chatting with strangers in Notre Dame attire, and decorating her children’s freshman year dorm rooms. She was an amateur florist and frequently took hydrangeas from the parking lot landscaping at Al’s Supermarket in Michigan City, Indiana (Sorry Al!). She was also known to scour roadsides for prairie flowers she would carefully arrange into elegant bouquets. Gerry loved clipping magazine stories to mail to her children and friends, and she could retrieve chateau reviews on demand. She loved entertaining but was not a master of the culinary arts. The contents of her fridge were a frequent target of her children’s friends who wondered, “What can you make with mayonnaise, mustard, whole-wheat bread, and Perrier?” The answer was not much.
She lived for occasions when the family would gather. Nothing meant more to her than her children. She was ferociously proud of them and loved them dearly. They have many fond memories of her, but their favorites are often set at the beach. She can be seen in the distance in a white shirt and visor, dark sunglasses, and khaki shorts, with several grandchildren trailing her. She is returning from a walk of probably a few miles and searching for sea glass. Blues were best, greens good, whites okay, but none of the beer bottle browns. She met several new people along the way. She learned their names, schools, and careers. She learned their stories. She had so much love and genuinely cared about people. We miss her greatly, but we carry her with us. She taught us how to love.
The Leinenweber family would like to thank the staff of Norwood Crossing for caring for their mother. Their efforts during the pandemic have been tireless.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to support Norwood Lifecare Foundation, 6016 N. Nina Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631, and the Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center, Rush Office of Philanthropy, 28057 Network Place, Chicago, IL 60673-1280 or visit http://rush.convio.net/GLeinenweber.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd, Joliet, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Funeral Services for Geraldine will be on Friday, August 20, 2021, from the funeral home at 9:00 a.m. to the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m., followed by burial at Resurrection Cemetery. At the request of the family, visitors should wear masks.
For more information please call (815) 741-5500 or visit his Memorial Tribute where you can share a favorite memory or leave a condolence.
